Liverpool prepare cut-price deal for starlet

Liverpool are reportedly monitoring Palermo midfielder Josip Ilicic.

The Slovenian international has caught the eye of a number of Europe's top clubs with six goals in 13 goals for the Serie A so far this season and, according to German website 4-4-2, Liverpool are ready to step up their pursuit of the 22-year-old.

Bayern Munich will allegedly prove to be Liverpool's main rivals for the signature of the €2.5 million playmaker who - like Anfield hero Steven Gerrard - is famed for his long-range shooting ability.

A deal for Ilicic would serve as further proof that Liverpool owners NESV plan to bring young talent to Anfield in their quest to build a squad for the future.

Liverpool have also been linked with multi-million pound January moves for Ipswich sensation Connor Wickham and Swiss youngster Valentin Stocker, but it has now emerged they may not complete as much business in the New Year as originally reported.

"What it does is hopefully mean the new owners and myself don't have to panic and go out and add numbers to the squad just for the sake of doing so in January," said Reds boss Roy Hodgson after he saw his Liverpool youngsters claim an impressive point against Steaua Bucharest last week.

"It will give us that calmness to say 'look, if we cannot get the quality and type of player we really want, then let's keep the faith in some of these young ones and wait for the right type to come along.

"If the European campaign had gone badly and we'd not picked up a few more points lately, then we could have been looking at the transfer window and saying we've really got to get some more players in because the squad is too thin.

"Now I think we will say 'yes, we would like some new ones with experience, we would like to improve the squad of course, but let's make sure we get the right guys.

"Several have put their hands up now and shown they can be trusted to perform in the Premier League, and that is important because we will be needing them."

Whether or not Liverpool will bring more young talent to Anfield in January remains to be seen, but Reds fans will be buoyed by the news that England U21 full-back Martin Kelly and Spanish duo Dani Pacheco and Suso have now been tied to long-term deals.

This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.